World · Europe · 1 hr ago
Reports of labour exploitation in the Netherlands rise 13%
Reports of labour exploitation in the Netherlands rose 13% last year, according to national rapporteur Conny Rijken.
The increase was sharpest in hospitality, where reports doubled, and in agriculture and fishing, where they nearly tripled.
Labour exploitation involves coercion or deception, often alongside poor conditions, long hours and low pay.
The cases often involve workers in hard-to-monitor workplaces, such as restaurant kitchens or remote farms.
In 2025, the Labour Inspectorate opened 57 criminal investigations and referred 10 cases to the Public Prosecution Service.
Rijken says too few perpetrators are prosecuted, while prosecutors and inspectors say these investigations are complex and may lead to other enforcement measures instead.
The report’s figures do not include fines or cases pursued through other legal routes, but Rijken says those measures may not give workers the protection they need.
Reports of labour exploitation in the Netherlands increased by 13 percent in the past year, according to the National Rapporteur.
The increase was concentrated in hospitality and agriculture, forestry and fishing.
The rapporteur says few investigations lead to cases being sent to prosecutors and that offenders remain difficult to pursue.
The Public Prosecution Service and Labour Inspectorate say exploitation cases are complex and that their work also includes other legal routes not counted in the report.
The rapporteur says fines for unpaid wages may fail to recognise workers as trafficking victims or provide them with needed protection.
- Who
- The National Rapporteur Conny Rijken reported the increase. The Public Prosecution Service and Labour Inspectorate responded to her assessment.
- What
- Reports of labour exploitation rose, while the rapporteur said enforcement and prosecutions remained insufficient.
- When
- The report covers the past year; the articles were published on 16 October 2026.
- Where
- The Netherlands, particularly the hospitality and agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors.
- Why
- The rapporteur says exploitation can be difficult to spot in kitchens, hotel rooms, night-time workplaces and remote agricultural sites. Authorities say investigations are complex, time-consuming and require a high burden of proof.
National Rapporteur Conny Rijken
Public Prosecution Service and Labour Inspectorate
Enforcement record
National Rapporteur Conny Rijken
Rijken says it remains difficult to identify offenders and take them through criminal proceedings, and that too few cases reach prosecutors.
Public Prosecution Service and Labour Inspectorate
The Public Prosecution Service says it brings many cases to court, while both agencies say their work includes other measures not reflected in the report’s figures.
Approach to exploitation
National Rapporteur Conny Rijken
Rijken says fines for unpaid wages may not identify workers as trafficking victims or give them the protection they need.
Public Prosecution Service and Labour Inspectorate
The agencies say they use administrative penalties and, where appropriate, pursue related offences such as fraud or money laundering.
The Labour Inspectorate opened 57 criminal investigations, and ten cases were transferred to the Public Prosecution Service.
Reports of labour exploitation rose by 13 percent, according to the rapporteur.
Two labour exploitation cases came before courts, one in Arnhem and one in Amsterdam.
NOS and NU.nl published reports on the increase in cases and the difficulties pursuing them.
- Increase in identified victims
- 13 percent compared with the previous year
- Hospitality reports
- Doubled
- Agriculture and fishing reports
- Nearly tripled
- Labour Inspectorate investigations
- 57 opened in 2025
- Cases transferred to prosecutors
- 10
- Court cases this week
- One in Arnhem and one in Amsterdam
3 sources
What people are saying
The number of identified victims of labour exploitation rose by 13 percent compared with the year before.
Fines are often imposed for unpaid wages and then the victims are not identified as victims of human trafficking.
Research into labour exploitation is complex, time-consuming and must be carried out carefully.
The burden of proof is high, the cases are often complex and the work is very intensive.